06 November, 2009

I'm waiting for a flight to Tokyo and thought I'd add a few more notes about new products. (Unlike many US airports, there is free wifi at most airports here.)

I had a great time visiting our cable and housing supplier, and a great dinner with their staff. We'll be getting new housing colors, orange, dark green, and brown. And we may have gold braid; is that too tacky? We'll also be making the kits a little longer.

There is a chance we can get VO lugs made based on a design that was often used on Singer and Herse bike. But there are still many details to be worked out, not the least of which is making proper drawings. I saw a neat and wide double plate fork crown that we may use on upcoming frames.

We made some progress on our chrome fillet brazed stems, which will be offered in quill and thread-less styles. We'll make some changes, adding a hidden recessed bolt and alloy top cap to the current design. I have a couple of other ideas for this stem, so there may be delays as I try to work them into the design, but if they can be made they should be spectacular.

We are awaiting quotes for two new models of VO drop bars, probably heat in treated alloy.

Our new Rando racks should arrive in December, along with Moderniste water bottles and Rackaleurs. The canti-mount racks are due in January.

Back to the cranks I mentioned recently, they will be cold forged 50.4bcd and will have 4 ring sizes to start. We will also have some inexpensive 110bcd cranks. The latter are silver and will have CNC rings with pins and ramps. These are not a VO design, but they look nicer, at least to my eye, than many, and the rings are top quality, and the price is fair.

Oh! I know it's a little late for the fender fix post,and I don't remember if anyone posted it or not;but a reflector bracket around the bottom of the seat tube at thebottom bracket shell also work to mount fenders on a bike with no chainstay bridge or kickstand plate.Like (GASP)track bikes!

21.1 stems would be nice, but having done some older frames, changing the headset is better provided you have enough fork length.I asked Chris about making his quill to modern adaptor in a 21.1 but he says there is not enough demand.

Re: the canti racks. I read somewhere on the Web that the Nitto M12 would only fit 700C bikes, and not MTB forks. I'm not sure why that might be. Width at the posts? Reach from the posts to the crown for the third bolt?

Does anyone know if this is nonsense? Chris, do you know if your canti rack will fit either?

Oops! I forgot that the steerer tubes are also narrower. I was thinking headset and nut only, so my bad.The 21.1 is such an irritating size: So close to 22.2, yet so far!If I had to do it over again, I would have the fork reamed by a machine shop if there was enough wall thickness to do so. This is why I wish I could get a long tube 1" steerer on a nice bladed fork with all the appropriate eyelets for fenders, etc. Right now, custom forks are usually $350 large, plus you have to paint/coat them too. I would rather have a very long steerer, chromed blades, and take it to a shop for threading and cutting AFTER I get a new headset so all would work out right.

Any update on if and when you get the centerpull racks? Will it fit old Weinmann 610 centerpulls (66.3mm between bolts)? I'm interested in that but you aren't going to make it, I'll look at the rando rack.